This document provides guidance on taking notes, writing letters, and writing memos. It discusses effective note-taking techniques like listening carefully, writing down key points, and reviewing notes after a lecture. It also outlines standard formats for business letters and memos, including the full block and modified block formats. Key elements of letters and memos like salutations, complimentary closes, and signatures are also described. The document emphasizes writing letters and memos properly as they are important forms of business communication.

1. Taking Notes,
Writing Letters and Memos
Presented By:
Hijrat ullah (MBA-HRM)
HR-Assistant
OHPM, Paktika

2. Theme of presentationTheme of presentation
• Taking Notes
• Writing Letters
• Writing Memos
• Examples

3. Taking NotesTaking Notes
• Taking notes is needed for learning and effective
communications with others
• Most people forget almost half of what they hear
within an hour
• Taking notes forces you to listen carefully
• It helps to record some information which may
not be available anywhere else or may be lost
sometime

4. Effective ListeningEffective Listening
• It is the success key for good note-taking
• To listen effectively, create an internal
conversation between you and the lecturer
• This includes actively anticipating and questioning
what the lecturer says and sorting the
information being presented.

5. Taking Notes ProcessTaking Notes Process
1. During Lecture:
- Follow a certain style
- Do not miss the first minute
- Sit close to the lecturer to avoid distractions
- Write the name of the lecturer
- Date and number each page
- Notice the clues that tell how the lecture is
organized and what points are important

6. Taking Notes ProcessTaking Notes Process (cont.)(cont.)
During Lecture (cont.):
- Pay attention to transitional words
- Write in short phrases or words
- Do not try to write everything said
- Use abbreviations
- Skip lines and write on one side
- Box important notes
- Ask questions to understand

7. Taking Notes ProcessTaking Notes Process (cont.)(cont.)
2. After Lecture:
- Read your notes as soon as possible and
fill any gaps
- Highlight or underline main ideas,
concepts, and information
- Compare your notes with a friend’s
(whenever possible)

8. Know the CluesKnow the Clues
Your lecturer will drop hints to indicate important points.
Look for these phrases and signals:
- Lists: “the five issues”, “the three most important dates”
- Summaries: “in conclusion”, “to sum up”
- Examples: “for example”, “for instance”
- Different points of view: “on one hand”, “however”
- Superlatives: “most”, “best”
- Repetition: “again”, “in other words”
- Writing: on the chalkboard

9. Styles forStyles for Taking NotesTaking Notes
1. Outlining:
- Use roman numeral (I., II.) for main ideas
- Subtopics using capital letters (A., B.)
- Details using numerals (1., 2., 3., etc.)
2. Mapping:
- Map is used to draw the material presented
- Draw a small circle in the center of your paper
to place the main idea
- Draw lines from the center topic pointing
to subtopics
- Lines are drawn for more details or examples

10. Use ShorthandUse Shorthand
Develop your own system of shorthand like:
- Use symbols:
& = and $ = money w/o = without
- Omit vowels:
ppt = power point Gvt = Government
- Use letters enough to recognize words:
Info = information Max = maximum
- Use first syllable of a word:
Cap = Capital Lab = Laboratory
- Use first syllable and 1st letter of second syllable:
Subj = subject Pres = presentation

11. LETTERS and MEMOSLETTERS and MEMOS
• Throughout your career, you will write too many
letters and memos
• Many people (mistakenly) think that writing letters
and memos is not “a big deal”.
• Those people are probably writing ineffective
letters without knowing it.
• Writing letters and memos is a delicate/important
task

12. The ReaderThe Reader
• The more you know about your reader, the more closely
you can tune your writing
• How much does your reader know about the topic of the
letter or memo?
• How does the topic affect the reader personally?
• What will make the reader want to read what you have
to say?
• Is your reader likely to agree or disagree with your
suggestions?

13. • A letter or memo can have many purposes such as
(among others):
– inform
– persuade
– sell
– request
– instruct
– recommend
– To complain.
• Knowing your purpose and your reader will help you
decide what to say and how to organize and phrase it.
The PurposeThe Purpose

14. LettersLetters
• The most widely used business letter formats are:
– Full block
– Modified block
• The format of the letter helps to establish its tone

15. Full block formatFull block format
• It has eight components (in order):
– Heading
– Address
– Salutation
– Text of the message. Do not indent the paragraphs,
but leave an empty line between paragraphs
– The complimentary close
– Your signature should be in blue or black ink
– The identification line containing your typed name
– Enclosures or distribution

16. An Example (Full Block)An Example (Full Block)
Your Address
February 16, 2003
Receiver’s name and address
Dear Mr. ….:
Text with no indentation but skip a line between paragraphs
Sincerely yours,
Signature goes here with pen
Your Name
Encl: List of attachments
Dist: List people receiving a copy

17. Modified Block FormatModified Block Format
• Differs from full block in the placement of the
heading, date, complimentary close, signature, and
identification lines
• These components start about halfway across the
page and aligned vertically
• Begin the paragraphs with a one-tab or three to
five space indentation
• Do not leave an empty line between paragraphs

18. An Example (Modified Block)An Example (Modified Block)
Your address
February 16, 2003
Receiver’s name and address
Dear Mr. ...:
Your text here indented but no empty line between paragraphs.
Sincerely yours,
Your signature goes here with ink
Your name
Encl: List of attachments
Dist: List people receiving a copy

19. MemosMemos
• The memo is short for memorandum
• Used for short reminders, quick announcements or
concise pieces of information
• Memos should not be used for communications to people
outside the company
• The vital information in a memo comprises the date, the
recipient, the sender and the subject matter
• In memos, do not use the "Dear" salutation and the
"Yours truly" complimentary closure
• Initial the memo to the right of your name with a pen

20. Memo FormatMemo Format
< company logo>
MEMORANDUM (or MEMO)
DATE:
TO:
FROM: <add initials here with pen>
SUBJECT:
______________________________________________
<include memo text here>

21. Memo Format (Continued)Memo Format (Continued)
• Block Format: no indentation but leave
empty space between paragraphs
• Modified Block format: Indent each
paragraph but do not leave empty space
• Do not mix both format. Choose one and
stick to it

22. Sample Memo (Modified Block)Sample Memo (Modified Block)
Memorandum
Date: March 13, 2003
To: Dr. Abdullah Abdelrahman, Department Head
From: Ayhem Salem
Subject: A Low-Cost Way to Reduce Energy Use in Our Department
__________________________________________________________________
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23. Reviewing Letters or MemosReviewing Letters or Memos
• Check your letter or memo for tone, wording, and spelling
• Check the spelling of the receiver’s name and address
• Check the dates in the heading and any dates in the text.
These are supposed to be records
• Check for subject-verb agreement
• Check for punctuation
• Be sure that you signed the letter below the
complimentary close
• Be sure that you put your initials to the right of your name
in the memo

24. This is how much
letter and memo
writing you will
probably do.
Do it right!
QUESTIONS?QUESTIONS?